Harrisburg, PA, Aug. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pennsylvania Skill, powered by Pace-O-Matic, commends the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) and casinos operating in the state on a 7.22% increase in revenue during July 2024 over July 2023.
The revenue comes from slot machines, table games, internet gaming, sports wagering, fantasy contests and video gaming terminals (VGTs). The casino industry revenue of $500.8 million tops the $467 million collected last July. One of the highlights of the PGCB July revenue report is that iGaming slot revenue increased by 32.2%
As the PGCB celebrates yet another big financial win, small businesses, veterans groups, volunteer fire companies and other fraternal clubs across the state also cheer the supplemental revenue they are receiving from skill games, which were ruled legal in a unanimous Commonwealth Court opinion last year.
“We again applaud the casino industry as it continues to break revenue records,” said Mike Barley, spokesman for Pennsylvania Skill. “These numbers prove once again that skill games are not a threat to casino profits.”
Despite research that shows no competition exists between skill games and casinos, Barley added, the wealthy out-of-state and internationally-managed casinos are spending millions to fight the regulation of skill games.
“Sadly, $500.8 million a month in revenue is not enough to satisfy the greedy owners of the casino industry,” Barley said. “Instead, they spend their time and money fabricating untrue accusations about skill games and trying to harm small business owners, veterans and volunteer organizations who count on legal skill games for critical revenue.”
Barley added the battle against skill games has more to do with casino owners wanting to increase the money in their pockets than anything related to skill games. Casinos recently filed a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court wanting to stop paying taxes to the state. These same casinos have a fundamental belief that every business that offers an entertainment product -- be that a movie theater, bowling alley, lottery ticket, bingo hall, miniature golf, theme park, etc. -- is competition for dollars they believe belong to them. It’s a deeply troubling philosophy that is at the center and drives the policy agenda of the commercial gambling industry.
At the same time, Pennsylvania Skill supports legislation sponsored by Sen. Gene Yaw (SB706) and Rep. Danilo Burgos (HB2075) that will regulate and tax skill games. There is bipartisan backing for the legislation that will put guardrails around skill game operations and provide as much as $250 million in skill game tax revenue to the state in the first year of regulation through a commonsense 16% tax. Gov. Josh Shapiro supports regulating and taxing skill games.
Several courts have ruled Pennsylvania Skill games are legal, including the Commonwealth Court in 2023. In addition to providing supplemental income to small businesses, Pennsylvania Skill games are manufactured in Williamsport and 92% of the income they generate stays within the local economy or the state. Pennsylvania Skill also created a charitable arm in 2017 and provides donations to organizations across the Commonwealth.
